Detailed Exterior Features

In terms of exterior features, the big selling point of the SilverStone LC10B-E is its sleek, minimalist appearance. Still, there are a number of features that stand out for their function as well as aesthetics.

I touched on this earlier, but I thought I'd include a better photo of the LC10B-E's front panel vents. These should help improve airflow in an otherwise solid design. They also serve as an intake point should you decide to utilize the front fan mounts.

Also integrated into the front panel of the SilverStone LC10B-E are the front I/O connections. Here we can see the power and reset buttons up top, followed by USB, firewire, mic, and headphone ports below. The only thing missing is an eSATA port. Granted, most new motherboards include one within the rear I/O ports, but if your entertainment center is anything like mine, those can be a real hassle to reach.

On the other side of the front panel is what SilverStone refers to as a "stealth optical drive slot." The idea here is that once you have your optical drive in place, you attach the smaller aluminum cover to the front of the tray to create a uniform appearance. SilverStone includes the required mounting tape and for the most part the design works well. Of course, you'll want to test fit everything before finally securing it.

Rounding out our tour of the LC10B-E's exterior features is the power supply vent I pointed out earlier. It's a basic mesh panel and should match up well with power supplies that favor a bottom mounted fan. Again, SilverStone uses discrete vents as opposed to punching holes into the side panel. Both serve the same purpose, but the former clearly wins points for appearance.